Get Outside for Your Health: Spears Strong's Top 5 Tips to Boost your Immunity
What’s the number one way to build a strong immune system? (spoiler alert: it’s not one thing and if anyone tells you it’s one thing, turn around and walk away)
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits and avoiding unhealthy ones is the overarching goal for obtaining a healthy immune system. Experts widely agree that avoiding smoking and alcohol and adding regular exercise and healthy foods are proven ways to bolster your immunity and protect you from illness.
But that’s pretty broad so we’ve broken down our specific tips for stronger immunity. We can also help you turn those things that you “know you SHOULD do” into habits that don’t require willpower or energy-draining motivation.
But back to our tips!
“... movement can go one step further by promoting good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently,”
Exercise. Your body was made to move and it’s crucial to your overall health that you move every day. The Centers for Disease Control recommends you get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise nearly every day to maintain good health, which of course will help your immunity. But movement can go one step further “by promoting good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently,” according to Harvard Health Publishing. If you’re not hitting this movement goal, don’t fret. The latest Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans states that even 5-minute bouts of exercise offer health benefits. At Spears Strong, we assign our clients 5-minute focused movement routines that both get them moving but also work on helping them with postural alignment, mobility, strength, metabolism boosting and pain relief.
Eat your Veggies. What you put into your body matters. Citrus fruits, berries and -you guessed it- vegetables, are all high in Vitamin C and better options than orange juice, which is basically sugar in a glass. When you think about nutrition, think about what you can add as opposed to what you “should” take out. Maybe that’s a salad with your meal or an extra side of veggies when you go out to eat. Challenge yourself to simply add veggies to what you’re already eating and don’t think about the rest. See what happens.
Sleep. Your body needs it. Your brain needs it. Sleep is the number one way your body recovers. If you have trouble sleeping, we encourage you to think outside the box. Try power naps. Avoid technology at night/don’t look at screens. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.
Get Outside. “Most health experts agree that the reason winter is ‘cold and flu season’ is not that people are cold, but that they spend more time indoors, in closer contact with other people who can pass on their germs,” Harvard Health Publishing states. We cannot emphasize this enough as it is a core principle for us here at Spears Strong. On average, Americans get outside less than 5 percent of their day. Step outside and breathe in that fresh air. Don’t fear the rain or the cold. As humans we were made to experience all the elements and it’s when we avoid them that problems like anxiety, depression and illness start to creep in.
“Step outside, take a moment to breathe in and out through your nose and get back to the present moment. Worrying about the unknown is the root of anxiety and you’ll stress less if you take time to be in the present.
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Stress less. This is likely a tough one for a lot of you. Both because of fear and uncertainty currently around the globe, but also because the recommendation to “reduce stress” is vague and hard to decipher. Instead, focus on ways you can relieve your stress. As a former journalist and college journalism instructor (and one who also has all the nerves), I honestly would advise you to stop watching the news. Stop reading and watching the updates if you’re doing that more than a couple times per day. Give yourself a break from the 24/7 news cycle. You can still stay informed, but constant social media and online updates drain your energy and mess with your psyche and emotions. Stay informed and safe but limit your exposure to the constant streams of negativity. Instead, see our above tip.
Step outside, take a moment to breathe in and out through your nose and get back to the present moment. Worrying about the unknown is the root of anxiety and you’ll stress less if you take time to be in the present.
We realize this list isn’t easy and it takes time to adopt all of the things we’re told we “should” do to be healthy. We’re here to help. We take small steps toward these goals by meeting you at your level. Maybe you’re great at sleep but could get outside more. Or maybe you eat well but it’s hard to motivate to exercise. It’s not about being perfect but making small steps every day that get you to feel just a little better, and better .... for the long run.
Shelby Spears is an American Council on Exercise certified Health Coach and a former journalist/journalism instructor.